Defeaturing Workbench is an add-on workbench intended for editing STEP models, removing of the selected features from the model. It is an external workbench and therefore not part of the standard FreeCAD install.
Features
Features a set of tools to edit a Shape or a STEP model, removing hole(s), face(s), simplifying the model, changing the tolerance, applying Fuzzy Boolean operations etc...
There are also tools to create more solid shape(s), from edge(s), face(s) or shell(s).
It is also possible to use direct modeling of the model, when the history of operations is unavailable. (This is the case for 3D STEP models).
Useful in situations to quickly remove proprietary details of the model before sharing it. See Defeaturing
Note: More advance Defeaturing tools can be used if OCC7.3 is available.
Installation
Automatic (recommended)
Using the FreeCAD Addon Manager available in v0.17+ via Tools → Addon Manager. Search for the Defeaturing workbench icon. The Addon Manager also notifies the user when a new version of this Addon is available.
Defeaturing-WB: removing-features (holes)YouTube: Defeaturing tools - Simplifying the modelYouTube: Defeaturing tools - Multi-select faces for defeaturingDefeaturing-WB - removing-fillet-chamferDefeaturing-WB - overview-features (in german language)Defeaturing-WB - parametric-defeaturing
Repairing
Sew a Shape
Removing or Simplify Faces
Remove Holes or Pockets
Read or Change Tolerance
make Fuzzy Boolean operations
External workbenches
FreeCAD workbenches are easy to program in Python, there are therefore many people developing additional workbenches outside of the FreeCAD main developers.
The external workbenches page has some information and tutorials on some of them, and the FreeCAD Addons project aims at gathering them and making them easily installable from within FreeCAD.